The striker on Sunday chalked up 71 consecutive Barclays Premier League games and he is behind only Jon Walters as having currently played the most consecutive top flight league games. Walters has featured in 76 straight matches.

Van Persie told Sky Sports: "It's a different game, they're very close to each other playing No 10 or No 9. But there's a big difference. As a No 9 you have much more intervals - stop-start, looking for spaces, waiting, then going for it and taking chances.

"As a No 10 you have to deal with the defensive midfielder of the opposition. Depending how they play you can have a really difficult game.

"You're always expected to get into the box making 30-40metre runs when you attack, then you have to go back 30-40m or more depending how far he goes back, and you have to go left or right. It's much more of an endurance game than stop-start. If I look now my game as No 9 is great.

"My average running in games has always been high, but it's high intensity runs now. Before I had to run more endurance-wise, now it's more stop-start, short and sharp runs in behind."

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